Show Don’t Tell Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 10: Show, don’t tell · Set 188 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (Show the actions): A telling sentence names the feeling: was sad, felt tired. A showing sentence describes actions, faces and bodies: tears, yawns, shaking knees. Pick the showing sentence that fits the right feeling.

1. 1.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Simran is sad? (a) Tears filled Simran’s eyes, and she stared at the floor. (b) Simran was sad. (c) Simran counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.
2. 2.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Joseph was really tired.” (a) showing (b) telling
3. 3.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Zoya felt very sad.” (a) showing (b) telling
4. 4.Which feeling does this sentence show?
   “Diya’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) happy (b) hungry (c) cold
5. 5.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is happy? (a) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (b) Joseph grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Joseph was happy.
6. 6.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Aisha beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
7. 7.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Vihaan kicked a pebble round and round the empty yard.” (a) showing (b) telling
8. 8.Is this sentence showing or telling?
   “Riya folded her arms and glared at her brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
9. 9.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Farhan is hungry? (a) Farhan gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Farhan froze and held his breath as the floor creaked. (c) Farhan was hungry.
10. 10.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Joseph’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) angry (c) cold
11. 11.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Fatima was really hungry.” (a) telling (b) showing
12. 12.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Priya shivered and stamped her feet in the snow.” (a) hungry (b) scared (c) cold
13. 13.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Maria gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping.” (a) telling (b) showing
14. 14.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is sad? (a) Neel’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter. (b) Neel was sad. (c) Tears filled Neel’s eyes, and he stared at the floor.
15. 15.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Yash drummed his fingers and stared at the clock.” (a) bored (b) cold (c) sad
16. 16.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Arjun is cold? (a) Arjun shivered and stamped his feet in the snow. (b) Arjun gripped Mum’s hand and squeezed his eyes shut. (c) Arjun was cold.
17. 17.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir’s teeth chattered, and he pulled his shawl tighter.” (a) cold (b) happy (c) tired
18. 18.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, and she stared at the floor.” (a) sad (b) tired (c) hungry
19. 19.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is bored? (a) Meera sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Meera was bored. (c) Meera’s heart thumped, and she hid under the sheet.
20. 20.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Kavya felt very happy.” (a) showing (b) telling
21. 21.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Meera rubbed her hands and blew on her fingers.” (a) tired (b) cold (c) angry
22. 22.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Joseph’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet.” (a) showing (b) telling
23. 23.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is sad? (a) Sneha shivered and stamped her feet in the snow. (b) Sneha was sad. (c) Sneha’s shoulders drooped as she walked slowly home.
24. 24.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Sahil beamed and hugged everyone in sight.” (a) telling (b) showing
25. 25.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Meera’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.” (a) telling (b) showing
26. 26.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Meera is cold? (a) Meera was cold. (b) Meera grinned from ear to ear and skipped down the road. (c) Meera’s nose turned pink, and she pulled on a woolly cap.
27. 27.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Riya is scared? (a) Riya’s knees shook, and she hid behind the door. (b) Riya kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Riya was scared.
28. 28.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Dev is hungry? (a) Dev kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (b) Dev was hungry. (c) Dev’s eyelids drooped, and he yawned again and again.
29. 29.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Neel is hungry? (a) Neel was hungry. (b) Neel kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch. (c) Neel’s knees shook, and he hid behind the door.
30. 30.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Imran’s nose turned pink, and he pulled on a woolly cap.” (a) angry (b) sad (c) cold
31. 31.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Imran is hungry? (a) Imran was hungry. (b) Imran’s heart thumped, and he hid under the sheet. (c) Imran kept peeping into the kitchen for lunch.
32. 32.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is hungry? (a) Nisha gobbled the rice and asked for a second helping. (b) Nisha was hungry. (c) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother.
33. 33.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Simran licked her lips as the smell of dosas drifted in.” (a) bored (b) hungry (c) sad
34. 34.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Priya threw down the pencil and shouted, “Not fair!”” (a) showing (b) telling
35. 35.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Joseph is sad? (a) Joseph sighed and flipped through the same comic again. (b) Joseph sat alone, hugging his knees and sniffing. (c) Joseph was sad.
36. 36.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Nisha is angry? (a) Nisha was angry. (b) Nisha folded her arms and glared at her brother. (c) Nisha’s eyelids drooped, and she yawned again and again.
37. 37.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran stamped his foot and slammed the door.” (a) telling (b) showing
38. 38.Is this sentence showing or telling?
    “Imran folded his arms and glared at his brother.” (a) telling (b) showing
39. 39.Which sentence SHOWS (without telling) that Sneha is happy? (a) Sneha laughed, clapped and twirled around the room. (b) Sneha was happy. (c) Sneha’s tummy rumbled loudly in the middle of class.
40. 40.Which feeling does this sentence show?
    “Kabir counted the ceiling fans for the tenth time.” (a) bored (b) scared (c) angry

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